Automatic timing apparatus for washing machines



Oct. 20, 1953 P. G. FRERER ETAL 2,656,424

AUTOMATIC TIMING APPARATUS FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed Aug. 7, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet l mmvrons:

IMJ'QZI O6t- 1953 P. G. FRERER ET-AL 2,656,424

AUTOMATIC TIMING APPARATUS FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed Aug. 7, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Paul G. fi'erer BY Charles S. .S'nziQz.

Oct. 20, 1953 P. G. FRERER ETAL 2,656,424

AUTOMATIC TIMING APPARATUS FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed Aug. 7, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 III Wash Suds A Damp Pawn- I if] Rinse Dry I fim'e l'lz Minuies' 42 01 lb 19 2'2 26 27 .10 as 42 :1 I l 106; 1074 107 f :1 105? E I D 1:! /03 -45 F 2 INV TORS:

O 1953 P. e. FRERER ETAL 2,656,424

AUTOMATIC TIMING APPARATUS FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed Aug. 7, 1951 4 SheetsSheet 4 INVENTORS: Paul 6'. fi-crer By Charles .5. Smith Patented Oct. 20, 1953 AUTOMATIC TIMING APPARATUS FOR WASHING MACHINES Paul G. Frerer and Charles S. Smith, Peru, Ill., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Soreng Products, Inc., Schiller Park, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application August 7, 1951, Serial No. 240,672

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to electrical circuit controlling apparatus for automatically cycling the various operations of a washing machine such as water supplying, agitation, rinsing, etc.

In its disclosed embodiment there is contemplated a centralized system of timing cams around which are clustered groups of primary and secondary control contacts, each brought into play at a predetermined interval of a washing cycle and rendered effective for a predetermined duration. Automatic supervision is made contingent upon prerequisite establishment of proper operating conditions and is susceptible of being arrested in the event of certain developments during a normal or proper performance cycle. Each washing machine function including for example agitation, rinsing, etc. is made to occur for a predetermined duration and in its proper sequence of the cycle. For the purpose of utilizing more efficiently prepared detergent liquids provision is made for drawing them off into a reservoir so that they can be re-used in successive washing operations or until they are fully spent.

Provisions have been made for suspending the continuation of the operative cycle in the event of certain contingencies such as a failure of water supply, etc. and in addition various stages of the performing cycle may be wholly or partially repeated for the sake of achieving accentuated action in respect to any of the detailed performances that constitute the full cycle.

In order to make the industrial production and assembly of automatic washing machines a more efficient and profitable undertaking from an industrial viewpoint the timing apparatus constituting the essence of the present invention has been designed in such a manner as to be especially compact while yet to be readily accessible and to dispose its various control contacts in a manner which will render them to be more easily accessible for wiring and installation purposes. the timing apparatus is inherently of simple and effici nt design so that it may be located in a position relatively remote with respect to the moving portions of the washing machine and to thus be more convenient for overseeing and regulation r quired.

Further, the timing apparatus has been reduced in its complexity of parts in a manner such that the entire control is accomplished by a single rotary shaft on which are carried a distribution timing cams having apiece and recesses in homogeneous alignment and circumferential conformity.

in keeping with the foregoing objectives and susceptible of being molded under high speed production methods and in accordance with certain efficiencies that are inherent in ejection molding methods of production.

A further and equally important characteristic of the compact design is its incorporation with a manually controllable selector which may instantly be invoked to supersede automatic operatic-n without in any Way disrupting the electrical or mechanical train of elements. By means of this device the total automatic supervision may instantaneously arrested at any time during the successive intervals which comprise the entire cycle and in its stead the successive cyclic operations may be performed by hand giving to each interval any desired duration or continuity of operation until that step has been satisfactorily completed. Thereafter, automatic operation may be just as instantly reinstalled.

-While automatic control or supervision as applied to washing machines and similar apparatuses is not generally speaking a new concept the teachings which comprise the instant invention are believed to advance the principles of timing apparatus design and manufacture to a degree whereat they may be produced under mass production methods with a greater reliance upon their accuracy and dependability of performance. A principal object of the present invention is to achieve a motor driven timing unit adaptable for the supervision of washing machines which may be mass produced at low manufacturing costs and under conditions of materially lessened labor and shipping expenses.

Another object of the present invention is to achieve an automatic timing mechanism which is particularly adapted to the supervision of clothes and dish washing machines which lends itself readily to installation within small and otherwise non-utiliaable spaces;

Other and further objects of the present invention are such as will become more evident during the course of the following detailed description and explanation and upon referring to the here inafter appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. l is a side elevational view of a motor driven timer cam assembly having embodied therein various features of the present invention,

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the apparatus illustrated in .1. indicating the relative position of the case enclosed motor drive and gear train,

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the same apparatus looking in a direction opposite to that of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken approximately on line 4-4 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view through 1) the contact assembly and distributor cam with portions broken away and is taken approximately on line 55 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken approximately on line -5 of Fig. 5,

Fig, 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating conventionally the timing cam and its supervised contacts as well as the wiring diagram related thereto,

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken approximately on the line 33 of Fig. 5,

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional view of a fragment of the apparatus and may be located from the designating line 9-9 of Fig. 5,

Fig. 1G is another transverse sectional view of a detail of the timing cam and one of its contact pair indicated by the line l'clfi on Fig. 5,

Figs. ll through 14 are similarly transverse views taken approximately on their respective lines of Fig. 5, and

Fig. 15 is a diagrammatic timing chart indicating empirically the sequence relationship of the various cams and their periodicity and duration with respect to an operative cycle.

Attention is now directed to the accompany ing drawings in which like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout and wherein the reference numeral 2i denotes a mounting flange which also forms one of the side plates that encases the timing cam assembly principal housing. Ear flanges 22 are apertured so as to receive mountin bolts whereby the timing cam assembly may be made fast to a surface wall or other fiat area which may be conveniently provided in a washing machine supporting structure.

A suitable mode of mounting the unit may be chosen under which the control shaft 23 is so arranged as to protrude in a prominent and accessible position of the washing machine so as to make it suitable for manipulation for starting as well as for shifting the control to manual supervision. The face plate 24 which is opposite the already described plate 2! need not have the mounting gears but in all other respects may conform in outline as well as in perforation profile to the first mentioned plate. In addition this second plate is provided with a shaft aperture and surrounding embossment as at 25 by reason of which there is provided the interior space 26 for accommodating the hair pin retaining spring see also Fig. 3.

Spring 2? is made of round wire stock and is shaped so that its parallel legs straddle the shaft 23 while the head of the pin 21 is lashed under an outwardly struck clip 28 of wall 24. Its free ends are confined with a hole in perpendicularly extending stock lug 29 to prevent the spreading of the free ends of spring 2? beyond a predetermined maximum. The legs of spring 2'5 will be observed to have a normal spacing so as to straddle the shaft 23 under some tension at a point wherein it has been turned down so as to afiord a rounded intermediate collar section 3| flanked by annular seating grooves one on each side of said collar 3!.

By means of the aforedescribed arrangement shaft 3% may be shifted longitudinally throughout a limited distance which corresponds to the space or clearance that may be observed at point 32 in Fig. 5 where a square enlarged neck section 33 of the shaft 23 is confined within a similarly cross-sectioned recess in the apertured core of a molded integral cam assembly generally designed 34.

Inwardly of the squared neck portion 33 shaft 23 continues at'its original diameter affording thereby an ample and steadying journal to the interfitting relationship between this member and the cam assembly 34. The outer extremity of'shaft 23. that is, that portion which protrudes to the outside of wall 24 is preferably flatt'ed as at 35 after a well known practice so as to afford thereby a mode of adequately receiving the set screw extremity in tensioned juxtaposition when an operating handle (not shown), usually'molded'of non-conductive material is applied to the shaft in order to make its regulation bythe attendant convenient both for the purposes of longitudinally shifting the shaft 23 as well as for rotating it manually to advance the cam assembly 34 successively from one control position to another as will become more evident by the description to follow.

An electrically non-conductive disc 37, Figs. 4 and5, issplined to the shaft 23 on a reduced collar portion thereof next adjacent the square section 33. This disc may be held securely and rigidly in this confinement by means of a tightly fitted pressure washer 33 which may be pressed over the seating collar, the end of which is then swaged over or otherwise immobilized so as to give to the disc 37 a secure rigidity. In this way it may maintain itself against dislodgment under operating conditions when its periphery is utilized for camming and thereby operating a contact spring 39 between open and closed positions for a purpose which will become more evident later.

It is the relative longitudinal placement of disc 3'; acting upon contact spring 39 which determines whether the timing apparatus is to function automatically under impetus of its motor and gear train or whether the drive is to be electrically disabled whereupon the advancement or rotation of the cam assembly 34 requires to be accomplished manually by rotation of the shaft 23 through its manipulation knob fitted over its outmostend.

The electric motor 4i which drives the timing apparatus is one of a conventional type synchronously driven and self starting entirely contained within a dust protective enclosure housing and carrying upon a short length of armature shaft a driving pinion which actuates a train of reduction gearscontaine d within the gear housing 42 with the ultimate or emergent shaft 43 being driven at a reduced rate of speed, usually one R. P. M. Shaft 43 carries securely fast to its extremity a cam 44 the contour of which is best evident in Fig. 6.

A follower roller 45 sidewardly extending from the end of a lever 46 pivoted at 4'! rides the periphery of cam 44 as the latter member describes its cyclic rotation at the aforedescribed rate of operation and in addition the cam 44 will be observed to have two sidewardly extending cam projections 48, see also Fig. 5, which act against the innermost end of a contact operating plunger or pin 49, see also Fig. 4.

So long'as electric current usually from a domestic supp-1y source is fed into the windings of the synchronous motor 41, cam 44 will continue to undergo revolution at the rate of 1 cycle per minute and its involute periphery will continue to actuate lever 43 through the follower roller 45 opposing the return spring 5i. Also, the sidewardly extending cam projections 48 will continue to actuate plunger 49 and as a consequence will cause to be closed the contact pair -153 acumen twice during each cycle of rotation of shaft 43 and each contact closure period will approximate seven seconds. This contact pair functions to energize a water valve flow control for supplying spray water at certain intervals only, which, as will be explained later, follows the wash and rinse operations and causes a spray of water to be directed upon the load in order to cleanse off any detergent residues from a preceding treatment.

Lever 45 carries at an intermediate position of its length designated 53 a brief stud pivot on which swings the feed pawl or arm 54. A detent arm 55 also pivoted at 4'! is connected by a spring 56 with the feed arm 54 so as to exert a mutually yieldable force urging both pawls 54 and 55 into engagement with the teeth of a feed sprocket 51. Sprocket 5'! is an integral part of a bushing member which includes driving pinion 58 and this member journaled on a cantilever stud shaft 59.

The feed action of sprocket wheel 5'! is in a counterclockwise direction as observed in Fig. 6 impelled by the yieldable force of spring 5| acting through lever 45. As each step-by-step advance is attained by sprocket 5! the latter is prevented from returning clockwise with the forward stroke of the feed pawl 54 by the positive blocking engagement of the end of detent pawl 55.

It is to be noted that each rising movement of feed pawl 54, stimulated by the long ascendency of the involute curvature of cam 44, occupies nearly all of the one minute interval which is the revolving rate of shaft 43. Its movement in the opposite direction under influence of spring 5| is a relatively instantaneous response as the follower roller 45 falls off of the cam drop 6 I.

Pinion 58 meshes with the molded gear 62 that forms part of the cam assembly 34. The gear ratio between pinion 58 and gear wheel 52 has been'selected at three to one. There being fifteen teeth to the sprocket wheel 51, it follows that cam shaft 23 together with its cam assembly 34 will undergo a full cycle of revolution once every forty five minutes. Thistime has been chosen as adequate for performing the various supervisions and operations necessary to accomplish the different functions which are necessary for a clothes washing machine to perform during domestic use. It will be understood, of course, that the matter of driving ratios and distributions of function regulating cams are arbitrary arrangements and that where other machines of a similar nature are to be correspondingly supervised and regulated the period of the timing cycle and the distribution of the cams and may be revised within the contemplation of these teachings.

Attention will now be directed to the performance of the pawls 54 and 55 when it is desired to override automatic operation by manual intervention. Because gear 62 which is an integral part of the cam assembly 34 is positively meshed with pinion 58 and the latter forms an integral part with sprocket 51 it follows that shaft 23 may be rotated in one direction only and that this direction is clockwise as this shaft would be observed if it were shown in Fig. 6. The pinion 58, with which gear 62 meshes, can only rotate counterclockwise because the shoulder extremity of pawl 55 positively engages the teeth of sprocket 51 when it is attempted to rotate shaft 23 in a counterclockwise direction.

During the permissive rotation of shaft 23, namely clockwise, with sprocket wheel 51 caused thereby to be rotated counterclockwise, pawls 54 and 55 overpowering their mutual spring 56' will click idly as the teeth of sprocket 51 pass under them. i The tension of spring 56 requires to be but very mild in order to accomplish the purposes of detent pawl 55 in positively engaging the teeth of sprocket 51 for the purpose of preventing reverse or clockwise rotation thereof, and for the purpose of urging feed pawl 54 into engagement as it rides from one tooth to the next during successive actuations of lever 46. Movement of lever 46 in a counterclockwise direction about its pivot 4'! is prevented from carrying beyond the position shown in Fig. 6 when the back of said lever encounters the stop lug 63, a protrusion which is formed by striking out a perpendicular ear from an area of metal mounting plate 64.

Plate 54 which, as had been said, is a mounting plate for the gear train and motor cases 42 and 4 I, is itself supported upon three mount posts 65, shown to be riveted or otherwise secured to the principal mount plate 2| as at 68. The ends of the three posts are drilled and threaded to receive the securement screws 6'! which pass through elongated apertures 68 thereat provided to afford a short but significant angular adjustment which has been found to liberalize manufacturing tolerance requirements.

At various points about the periphery of mounting plate 64 there are provided minute spacer projections 69 which are also struck and formed of the stock which comprises plate 64 just as in the case of stop lug 63, but these projections 59 are for the purpose of confining an encircling band II which may be made of relatively thin sheet metal stock and which thereby is afforded adequate rigidity as well as stability to accomplish its purpose of protecting the mechanism located between mounting plates 84 and 2| against invasion by dust and foreign matter.

Attention will now be directed to the cam assembly 34 the design and arrangement of which is not only noteworthy for its simplicity and compactness as to space and economy of fabrication material, but because it has been so laid out as to be constructible as a monoblock, that is to say, so as to be molded out of a single unit of plastic consistent with the vagarities of extrusion molding. The cam assembly comprises essentially a cylindrical cored-out member whose periphery carries a plurality (in the present instance seven) circumferential cam tracks. Each cam track or cam disc which forms a part of the cam 31SS-.\ bly 34 comprises an arcuate projection radially of shallow amplitude having but slight difference between its apex and nadir contact actuating surfaces.

On opposite sides of the cam assembly 34 and forming part of the respective wall surfaces which enclose the cam are a pair of similarly profiled molded wall elements designated 14 and 15. It is to be observed that although these two members are identical throughout so as to lend themselves to be made by the same set of molding dies, they have been designed with certain features of placement adaptability so as to be placed on opposite sides of the cam assembly 34 and when so placed to dispose their respective alignments of contact pairs in a staggered relationship with respect to the contact pairs of the other wall. This arrangement is best illustrated in Fig. 4 where it will be observed that each wall l4 and 15 is provided with four recesses within which the four contact pairs are placed and that each recess aligns itself with one of the cam tracks or cam discs of the cam assembly 34.

Moreover, each wall element 14 and 15 consists of an upper I6 andlower'I'I relatively solidbeam element with an intermediate portion that, it recessed or set back as at 18 whereby there is afforded sufficient rearward clearance for the mounting of back contact springs'l-Q where required and for the movement of contactor springs 8| under. double throw action even when stimu: lated by a shallow impulsing, at their points of contact with the peripheries of the cam. tracksof assembly 34.

The molded wall elements 14 and I are longitudinally reinforced against likelihood of distortion by beingprovided with a series of vertical reinforcing ribs 83 which also serve the purpose of partitioning the plug receptacle terminals 84, Fig. 1, from each other wherebythey may be placed relatively closer to one anotherwithout incurring the hazardof accidental electric shorting.

The recessed Wall formation I5 is preferably shaped to afford a slight plateau formation as at 85 so that back contact springs I9 whenrequired, may be mounted thereon in a manner which will afford sufficient clearance to permit said springs to be flexed slightly for promoting wiping engagement between their contact points and those of their engaging contractor springs 8|. At each end of the wall sections I4 and 85 they are provided with a pair of protruding lugs 85 and 87 adapted to be received within identically shaped apertures in the end walls 2I and 24 whereby the walls 14 and are accurately and infallibly located in respect to the enclosure assembly. As will be noted from Fig. 8'these projecting lugs'86 and 81 are of slightly difierent size each pair from the other andby reason of this arrangement there is prevented improper placement of the'molded end walls in respect to the mounting plates 2I and 24 thereby preventing improper assembly of these members and permitting this operation to be carriedon by a relatively lesser skilled standard of factory talent.-

Complete enclosure of the'cam space or housing between the wall elements 14 and I5 on the one hand and the mounting plates 2| and 24 on the other is accomplished by placement of thin plastic or fibre rectangular sheets 88 and 85 over the remaining opposite sides. These platesmay be economically stamped or cut from thin stock of insulation material and by being provided with accurately profiled shallow notches at their ends, made to secure themselves by projecting on both sides of the T-formationsel at the top and bot tom plate 24 as well as by the similar provisions 92 of the necked-down shanks of the ears 22 which are integral with the mounting plate 2 I.

It is to be noted that the entire timing apparatusis thus constituted a unitary and compact mechanism adaptable to mounting in any convenient apertured location by means of but two mounting ears 22 on plate 2| and when soplaced is able to withstand the rigors of constant and continuous use. Attention will now be directed to electrical phases of this mechanism and for this purpose the description will concern itself more closely with the illustrations of Figs-7 and 9 through 15. The cam barrel assembly 34 is provided with seven peripheral cam discs-designated IIlI through I01. The shape of each one of these sections or cam peripheries may berliscorned from the seven sectional views'including Figs. 8 through 14 aswell as from the empirical timing chart although the latter will be recognized to portray timingratherthan merely cam profiles developed.

At the time of; starting, camshaft 2 3 is withdrawn into the position at which it is shown in dotted outline. in Fig. 4 and an indicator which may be a part of its operatinghandle is pointed toward that portion of a circular index scale which designates a selective ten minutes from among a total of twenty minutes allocated to the washing; interval. The operator by means of this selection may choose or predetermine the washing interval to last any amount of time beyond ten and up to twenty minutes according, to. the estimated requirements of her particular washing load.

The laundry. is presumed to have been placed into the washing and agitating chamber of the tub and hot and cold water sources connected to the two way valve and ready to be supplied when called upon by the automatic-supervisory-system. At this time the operator depresses the manual shaft 23 placing it into the-condition in which it is shown in full lines in Fig. 4.

As a consequence of this performance-switch operating disc 31 rides off the high point of its contact blade 35 where it had been holding open the main line supply contacts III, Fig. 7, and completing an operating circuit to the. timer motor 4|.

If the washing machine tub is empty or still not filled with suflicient water to actuatethe level responsive toggleswitch II2, Fig. 7, the power line circuit just established by the operation of contact pair III is'traceable from main line II3 through the contact pair III, bus H4, line II5, tog le switch contactor II2,- its lower terminal I I6, line III, to the supply bus I I8. By referring to the timing chart, Fig. 15, it will be observed that at this time cams I03 and I05 are-in effective or contact closing position, whereupon the afore-described circuit is further traceable-over line II9 to the hot water control valve I2I and return line I22 so that hot water will be ermitted to flowinto the tub during this interval and while the cam assembly remains motionless. On the ot her hand this circuit is further traceable through the contact I23 which is also at this time closed due to effectiveness of cam I05, over line I24, the energizing winding of mixing valve I25, and return line I22, causing the mixing valve to be operated for the purpose of tempering the hot waterwith cold in order to fill the tub with the, water at the desired temperature.

Eventuallythe tub becomes filled and the toggle switch I I2 is caused to rise and make contact with its upper contact point I26, Fig. '7. As a consequence, the afore-established current is cut off at bus line H8 and is transferred instead to line I 28 which connects with the contactor I29, as well as withthe terminals of the washing machine motor I3I and the sequence timer motor 4 I. The return terminals of both of. these motors are connected to the return power line I22 and asa consequence both ofthese motors will start into operation, the sequence timer beginning to toll off its forty-five minute cycle V The mechanical performanceof the sequence switch operating motor has already been described above and consists essentially in the rotation of power cam '44 and in theresultant step-by-step movement of sprocket 51 which is geared, by means of pinion 58 anddriving gear 62, to the cam assembly 34. By referring to the timing chart, Fig. 15, it will be observed that the agitation cycle which-is under the control of cam 102 continues-slightly beyond thewashing cycle so that the washing. machine motor- I3I will be offective so long as contact pair I32 of cam I02 continues to energize the agitator clutch winding I33.

Near the middle of the washing cycle, cam I06 becomes effective and closes its contact pair I34. This supplies an alternative path for maintaining power line I I3 in communication with supply line I28 for continuing the operation of motors M and I3I when the toggle action switch II2 drops in response to the subsequent emptying of the washing machine tub detergent water.

Shortly before the end of the washing cycle, cam I04 becomes effective and closes its contact pair I35. As a consequence an energizing current is established traceable from terminal line II3, contact pair III and bus wire II4, through the contact pair I35, thence out over line I50 to the energizing winding of a two-way valve I 31, thence out over return line I22 to the opposite side of potential source. Thus the closure of contact pair I35 for the interval which is designated in Fig. 15 on cam profile I04 the washing water is drained off into a storage receptacle and may be re-used at a later time.

As the sequence switch continues to toll off its cycle, cam I! becomes effective and since its contactor follower is a double throw element as best illustrated in Fig. 8, its first performance, represented by segment I01, is to engage with front contact I39, Fig. 7, completing a circuit which has been prepared by the recession of float toggle switch II2 and traceable from power line source I I3, through the contact pair 5 I I, line I I4, thence over line H5, through the toggle contactor II2 and its lower contact point Hi3, line II! to the bus wire II8, contactor 8i and its lower contact point I39, line I38, through the winding of the extractor operating device I42 to the return power line I22. As a consequence of this operation there is removed from the tub by the extractor apparatus all residual traces of rinse water or washing water that failed to run out as a result of the action of the drainage valve I31. Also this extraction removes such added water as is the consequence of the operation of the two seven second sprays which will be more particularly described later.

The aforedescribed extractor action prevails until the end of the I01 cam interval which coincides with'the twenty-sixth minute of the total operating cycle. Coincident with this termination cam I06 rides out from under its contact pair I34 and the aforedescribed holding circuit for maintaining power to the sequence timer and principal machine motors 4| and I 3| becomes broken, reestablishing the dependency for current by these motors onto the prevalence of an adequate water supply in the tub to float the toggle switch II2.

' Since water has been drained out by the last described extractor and valve operations the motors II and I3I will be at once arrested. As this occurs, however, cam ISI reaching the interval which corresponds to the twenty-sixth minute of the overall cycle, presents its nadir I44, Fig. 8, to the follower projection of its contactor spring I50, permitting the latter to fallback into engagement with its back contact point I45, which thereby extends power from line II3 through the contact pair III, bus H4 and line wire II5, through the depressed toggle switch II2 now in engagement with its lowermost contact I I6, over line I I! contactor til now in engagement with its back contact point I45, line I41 which joins with line I24 at junction I48, thence through the winding of mixer valve I25 and out over return line I22. As

a consequence the mixer valve is opened, permitting rinse water to enter into and fill the tub. At this time the timer switch is arrested awaiting the filling of the tub and as soon as that happens the toggle I I2 snaps to its opposite or uppermost position engaging the top contact point I26, breaking the circuit to the mixer valve I25 just described and in its stead reestablishing the power circuit to line I26 which feeds the motors M and The clothes will now be agitated in fresh rinse water and the timing switch proceeds from its point of arrestment at the twenty-sixth minute position of the timing chart and enters upon the twenty-seventh minute interval. Agitation continues for two minutes and cam I63 reestablishes the holding circuit for nine minutes taking away the control over the motor circuit from float toggle switch I I2 during this interim.

At the thirtieth minute cam I07 again closes its contact BI and contactor I39 extending operating power out over line 35 to operate the extractor device I42 which discharges the rinse water and again empties the tub. At the end of the thirty-sixth minute cam lill rides out from under its contactor BI and the aforedescribed holding circuit for maintaining the motors in operation is broken, whereupon when the tub is fully emptied the two motors are again brought to rest.

At this time the active portion of the operating cycle isterminated and the clothes are ready to be removed or to be rewashed if that is thought to be necessary. In any event, if another washing is to follow the timer dial is rotated until its indicator points to the area marked Suds return. This is a manual regulation since it is tantamount to a recycling and should be performed only under discretionary supervision. As a consequence of the rotation of shaft 23 carrying with it the cam assembly 34, a condition is established effecting closure of contact at cams I52, m4, Hi6 and Iiil.

As a consequence of the closure of contact pair I32 by cam )2, a circuit is reestablished for operating the agitator device I33 for the purpose of reviving suds in the returning detergent water so that it will at once-be in readiness for action upon a new batch of laundry or upon the old batch if it is to be rewashed. As a consequence of the operation of cam I06 upon its contact pair I34, the holding circuit for reactivating motors II and I3I is again closed, causing these members to resume rotation. As a consequence of the operation of cam I04 closing its contact pair i35 an energizmg circuit is established over line its reopening the valve I31 toestablish communication between the tub and the reserve storage tank whereinto the suds have been discharged. Finally, as a result of the operation 01'' cam I37, in this instance elevating its. follower 8| so that it engages its forward contact point l9 a circuit is established extending power over interim bus line I it through the'contact pair SI and 79, out over line I5I, to the winding of a'motor which operates pump I52, thence over return line I 22. As a consequence the pump operates until all of'the reserve water from the storage tank has been brought back into the tub and until the float valve II2 is again suspended to open the circuit through its lower contact II6 in which case the motor of pump I52 will be arrested.

If the reserve storage tank supplies an inadequate amount of water to float valve II2 supplemental water will be added at the start of the subsequent operating cycle when cams I03 and I take over, as in the first described cycle, to operate mixing valve I and hot water control valve I2 I.

Attention is now directed again to the performance of cam IOI, and in connection therewith to the operation of the seven second spray control under the supervision of the two side projections 48 of cam 44. It will be observed from Figs. 4, 5, and 8 that actuating plunger 49 functions to press contacto'r I53 into engagement with the back contact point of contactor 9B twice during each one-minute cycle of cam 44. Contactor I53 is an electrically conductive extension of back contact I which is capable of establishing electrical connection with contactor I only during the brief intervals represented by cam projection I54 and I55 of cam Iill, see Fig. 7. It will be understood therefore that although the seven second rinse operations are mechanically stimulated twice durin each rotation of cam 44, yet the only times during which the sprays are actually operated and effective are for such intervals when they occur in coincidence with cam apices I54 and I55, Fig. 8, which begin during the twenty-second and thirtieth minutes of the general cycle.

While the present invention ha been explained and described with particular reference to a specific embodiment and design, it will be understood nevertheless that it is susceptible to various modifications and rearrangements within the spirit and scope of the herein disclosed teachings. Accordingly, it is not intended to be limited for an understanding of this invention to the particulars of the foregoing detailed description nor to the illustrations shown on the accompanying drawings except as indicated in the hereunto appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. A timing mechanism for automatic washing machines comprising, a frame structure made up of a pair of end plates in parallel alignment and having therethrough aligned circular bores to serve as a journal for a principal rotary cam barrel assembly, a cylindrical cam barrel molded as a monoblock and having on its periphery a plurality of axially spaced circular cam discs and at one end an integrally molded gear wheel, the axial center of said cam barrel being bored to receive therethrough an operating shaft having a polygonally cross-sectioned neck adapted to fit into a similarly cross-section aperture at one end of said axial bore, means for confining said cam barrel against axial movement whilst permitting said operating shaft to be so moved reciprocally throughout a distance less than the length of said interfitting polygonal cross-sectioned neck and aperture, a power driven train for rotating said cam barrel assembly cyclically through said gear wheel, and means for detenting said shaft at each end of its said axial movement comprising an annularly turned ring formation on said shaft flanked by spaced annular depressions one on each side of ring formation, and a straddle spring fixedly mounted in said frame structure exerting a tension so as to retain said shaft and so as to exert an over-centering movement when passing said shaft ring formation, said shaft carrying an actuator for opening and closing said control switch according to its axial detented position.

2. A rotary switch mechanism comprising, a pair of end plates having therethrough circular bores to serve as a journal, a cylindrical cam barrel molded as amonoblock and having on its 12 periphery a plurality of spaced circumferential cam discs, the axial center of said cam barrel being bored to receive therethrough a manual operating shaft splined to said cam barrel so as to be rotatable therewith, but susceptible to limited axial movement with respect thereto, an electrically driven power train for rotating said cam barrel, switch means under control of said manual operating shaft for supervising said train, and means for detenting said shaft at each end of its said axial movement whereby to establish said switch means in either its power train energizing or deenergizing conditions.

3. A rotary power driven timing mechanism for automatic washing machine operation comprising, a single cam barrel distributor molded as a monoblocl: and having integral axially spaced cams for supervising all of the functions of an automatic washing machine, a pair of side wall elements each provided with spaced contact spring assemblies, the spring assemblies of one said elements being displaced or off-set from symmetrical alignment with the spring assemblies of the other of said elements whereby when one of said side wall elements is aligned opposite the other one on both sides of said cam barrel distributor, the off-set displacement establishes an alternate and opposite staggered relation of said recesses contact spring assemblies, each adjacent one of said cams, an electrically driven power train including a system of gear reduction for imparting rotation at a predetermined rate of revolution to said cam barrel distributor, and a manual switch for controlling the introduction of operating current to the motor of said train comprising a shaft contained within the center of said cam barrel distributor and axially shiftable therein, a disc of electrically non-conductive material and a contact pair in circuit with the supply line to the motor of said train displaceable in closed and opened position in accordance with the movement of said disc a said shaft is shifted axially.

4. An automatic cycling control timer for clothes washing machines comprising, a cylindrical cam barrel molded as a monoblock having a plurality of axially spaced cam means for journalling said barrel for rotation on its axial center a synchronously driven electric motor and system of reduction gears, a tolling cam carried upon the output shaft of said system of reductions gears, said tolling cam having a peripheral involute surface and a sidewardly extending wedge cam surface, a step-by-step ratchet drive actuated by said involute surface to impart rotation to said cam barrel, a pair of contacts effective to prepare a spray control valve operating circuit for a duration corresponding in time to the extent of said wedge cam and effective at a recurrent frequency corresponding with the cyclic rotation of said tolling cam, and a further pair of contacts under the control of said cam barrel for completing said circuit thereby determining which of said tolling cam cyclic rotations shall be effective.

PAUL G. FRERER. CHARLES S. SMITH.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,254,509 Bassett Sept 2,, 1941 2,394,142 Breckenridge Feb. 5, 1946 2,527,249 Gallagher Oct. 24, 1950 

